Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
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Well Child Care at 9 Months
Feeding
Your baby should continue having breast milk or infant
formula until he is 1 year old. Most babies now take 6 to 8
ounces of formula 4 times a day. Encourage your child to
drink formula and juice from a cup now. This is a good time
to begin weaning from the bottle.
You can begin adding meat to your child's diet.
By now your child probably has one or more teeth. After
meals and before bedtime, try to wash off the teeth with a
clean cloth.
Development and Discipline
Babies are starting to pull themselves up to stand. They
love to bang things together to make sounds. They may start
to say "dada" and "mama."
At this age, babies learn what "no-no" means. Saying "no"
calmly and firmly and either taking away what your child is
getting into or removing them from the situation is a good
way to teach what "no" means. If your child continues to do
what you told him not to do, you can put your baby in a
playpen for 1 minute without any toys or attention from you.
Give your baby a choice of toys to play with and praise him
for whichever one he chooses. During play you can give lots
of kisses and hugs. Peek-a-boo is a favorite game.
For more information see: Normal Development: 9 Months
Sleep
A regular bedtime hour and routine are important. Babies
enjoy looking at picture books. You may want to read one
regularly with your child. A favorite blanket or stuffed
animal may help your baby feel secure at bedtime. If your
baby wakes up a lot at night, ask your doctor or nurse for
advice.
Safety Tips
Car Seat Safety
If your child reaches 20 pounds and is still riding in an
infant seat, it is time for a new car seat. Some car
seats can convert from a backwards-facing infant seat to a
forward-facing toddler seat. Carefully follow the
manufacturer's instructions when installing new or
converting old car seats for your child. For more
information you can call the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration at 1-800-424-9393.
Avoid Choking and Suffocation
- Avoid foods on which a child might choke (such as
candy, hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts).
- Cut food into small pieces.
- Store toys in a chest without a dropping lid.
Prevent Fires and Burns
- Practice your fire escape plan.
- Check your smoke detector. Replace the batteries if
necessary.
- Put plastic covers in unused electrical outlets.
- Keep hot appliances and cords out of reach.
- Keep all electrical appliances out of the bathroom.
- Don't cook with your child at your feet.
- Use the back burners on the stove with the pan handles
out of reach.
- Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees F (50
degrees C).
Prevent Drowning
- Never leave an infant or toddler in a bathtub alone --
NEVER.
- Continuously supervise your baby around any water,
including toilets and buckets. Infants can drown in a
bucket that has water in it. Empty all water and store
buckets turned over.
Avoid Falls
- Make sure windows are closed or have screens that
cannot be pushed out.
- Don't underestimate your child's ability to climb.
Prevent Poisoning
- Keep all medicines, vitamins, cleaning fluids, and
gardening chemicals locked away or disposed of safely.
- Install safety latches on cabinets.
- Keep the poison center number on all phones. The
poison control number is ________________.
- Ask your doctor about syrup of Ipecac. Use it only if
you are told to do so.
Avoid Cuts
- Remove or pad furniture with sharp corners.
- Keep sharp objects out of reach.
Next Visit
Your baby's next routine visit should be at the age of 12
months. Please bring your shot card at that time.
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